Since Thanksgiving is on Thursday, I thought it would be fun to share some Turkey Trivia on the famous bird we will be cutting and carving. Too bad only one turkey will be pardoned!
- Turkeys have heart attacks. When the Air Force was conducting test runs and breaking the sound barrier, fields of turkeys would drop dead.
- Turkeys can drown if they look up when it is raining.
- Turkeys’ heads change colors when they become excited.
- Turkey breeding has caused turkey breasts to grow so large that the turkeys fall over.
- Since 1947, the National Turkey Federation has presented a live turkey and two dressed turkeys to the President. The President does not eat the live turkey. He "pardons" it and allows it to live out its days on a historical farm.
- Turkeys will have 3,500 feathers at maturity. (Does someone actually count this?)
- Turkeys have great hearing, but no external ears. They can also see in color, and have excellent visual acuity and a wide field of vision (about 270 degrees), which makes sneaking up on them difficult. However, turkeys have a poor sense of smell (what's cooking?), but an excellent sense of taste.
- A turkey has 157 bones!
- Buterball has a hotline to answer all your turkey questions. For those who may need it, the number is, 1-800-323-4848.
- Sleepy after the big meal? Turkey contains an amino acid called "Tryptophan". Tryptophan sets off a chemical chain reaction that calms you down and makes you sleepy.
- When Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin sat down to enjoy their first meal on the moon, their foil food packets contained roasted turkey and all of the trimmings.
Have a happy Thanksgiving, and too all of you preparing the big meal I hope it goes well. I am making the Thanksgiving dinner this year, and I hope it all turns out well. I am a little nervous about getting everything cooked and staying warm until it is time to serve. That is why I had to have 2 ovens!
Gobble Gobble!
